


A night at the circus

by theLadyofBelmont, Yellow (theLadyofBelmont)



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: A Family is born, Angst with a Happy Ending, Baby Dick Grayson, Batfamily (DCU), Batman Needs a Robin, Dick Grayson Needs a Hug, Everyone Needs A Hug, Gen, Good Grandparent Alfred Pennyworth, Good Parent Alfred Pennyworth, In the End be like You thought Wrong, Like father like son, POV Alfred Pennyworth, Protective Alfred Pennyworth, Protective Batfamily (DCU), Protective Bruce Wayne, Sad Bruce, Sad Dick Grayson, Sad with a Happy Ending, Worried Alfred Pennyworth, Young Bruce Wayne, the batfamily origins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-27 09:36:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21116609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theLadyofBelmont/pseuds/theLadyofBelmont, https://archiveofourown.org/users/theLadyofBelmont/pseuds/Yellow
Summary: This is the first work I post here (yay!) and I'm still trying to get the hand of it; also English isn't my first language, so I apologize in advance for any grammar/sentence/tagging/warnings mistakes, I promise I'll do my best to improve.Also, this fic is written from Alfred's point of view, and I think I used the same title as the Batman comic in which Dick Grayson's parents die because I didn't know how to name it (plus, it fits perfectly well).On a little sidenote, you'll see I gave baby Dick an accent; it's from a headcanon I saw once about him having English as his second language and therefore having a thick accent, and I totally loved it, so I included it here!Hope you enjoy my fic (I wrote it a long time ago and it's kind of short but I thought it was kind of sweet?)





	A night at the circus

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first work I post here (yay!) and I'm still trying to get the hand of it; also English isn't my first language, so I apologize in advance for any grammar/sentence/tagging/warnings mistakes, I promise I'll do my best to improve.  
Also, this fic is written from Alfred's point of view, and I think I used the same title as the Batman comic in which Dick Grayson's parents die because I didn't know how to name it (plus, it fits perfectly well).  
On a little sidenote, you'll see I gave baby Dick an accent; it's from a headcanon I saw once about him having English as his second language and therefore having a thick accent, and I totally loved it, so I included it here!  
Hope you enjoy my fic (I wrote it a long time ago and it's kind of short but I thought it was kind of sweet?)

When he brought him in he was cold; cold as a corpse and soaked to the bone, water and mud dripping from his clothes all over the marble floor.  
-Alfred! - Master Bruce had yelled, and as always, I ran to answer his needs with serving hands. Although this was no bruise to be kissed; no homework to be explained; no shopping list to follow and no paperwork to sign but a living child. He was wrapped in Master Bruce’s coat, so large over his tiny body that not even the tip of his fingers was seen at the other end of the sleeves.  
-Master Bruce, what is the meaning of this? - I asked, for it was a quite peculiar souvenir to take from a night at the circus. A half empty bag of popcorn perhaps, or even a clown-shaped lollipop, but a little boy?  
-Alfred, please prepare him a warm bath, he’s freezing.- In other circumstances I would have pushed him for more information, but in that moment he had the second saddest look I had ever seen on that stern face of his, so I decided to try later.  
As the bubbles filled the bathtub, I almost fell in it with a splash upon finding myself with the child. He had come into the bathroom without making a sound as though he were a ghost.  
-I’m sorry if I … I didn’t mean … I didn’t mean to scare you…-he said in a weary voice. He had a thick accent, as if English hadn’t been his first language.  
-It’s… it’s alright little one. - I hadn’t noticed his puffy red eyes and his running nose. I took a cloth handkerchief from my pocket and handed it to him.-What is your name, son?  
He blew his nose before replying.-Richard, although everyone calls me Dick.-The last word hid behind his sobs. I squatted and held him close to me, the mud on his coat staining my immaculate suit. I didn’t care; after all, it wasn’t the first time I did something like that.  
I let him cry on my shoulder, and by the time it passed, my collarbone was wet. -There, there Dick, - I ran my hand through his soaked messy hair.-now, shall we get rid of that old coat? There’s a warm bath waiting for you. I’m Alfred by the way, and I’m going to take good care of you, okay?-he nodded- Do you need any help?  
-No, but thank you… Alfred. - He said softly. He took off the coat revealing the colourful sparkling leotard he wore underneath it. "Who is this kid?" He had the thin but slender body of an acrobat and the suit practically confirmed it, which meant he was most likely part of the show. But how had he ended up in our house? Maybe it was Master Bruce’s son. He certainly looked like him: blue eyes, dark hair, and even at his young age, a sharp jaw line. And it wasn’t like Master Bruce lived a celibate life either, though he was allergic to commitment. The only one he had was with the cowl and his quest to save Gotham, although that was not a job that included any naked activities as far as I knew.  
I picked the dirty clothes of the floor; put them in the washing machine in the kitchen and started it. Then I went to Master Bruce’s old room to find one of the pajamas he used to wear as a child, and to prepare the bed for our little guest. I scarcely went there anymore, just once every two weeks, when I cleaned the whole mansion, from one end to the very other. But before that, I spent most of my days there; it was like a petite world inside the small one that was Wayne mansion itself.  
I had my second fright of the night when I closed the wardrobe’s door and almost bumped into Master Bruce. He also moved as if he were a shadow. Like father, like son.  
-Sorry to scare you, Alfred. - He sat on the bed I had just finished making, his back hunched and his elbows resting on his legs, his hand falling gracefully between his thighs. He was thinking, I knew; I could almost see the smoke coming out of that calculating machine his head was, but I couldn’t hold my tongue any longer.  
-Sir, I do not mean to interrupt your thinking, but I have to ask, is the boy yours?  
He lifted his head to look at me, eyebrows furrowed and forming a slim passage between them.-What? No, I mean… I had nothing to do with his conception, if that’s what you meant. But his parents just died.  
It clearly wasn’t the answer I was expecting- When? At the circus? - He nodded- Oh, the poor thing! And was he there?  
-Indeed. An accident on the trapeze, although I suspect it wasn’t entirely an accident. Tomorrow I’ll go down to the police station and to the social service agency to sort everything out but for the time being he’s staying with us.  
-Very well, Master Bruce. Forgive my intrusion once again but, what will we do about the bat thing?  
He suddenly sat straight- He doesn’t know anything about that. And I intend to keep it that way.  
-But what if he finds out?  
-He won’t.-his voice became harsh and stiff all of a sudden. He sighed and in a more relaxed voice added-Forgive me, Alfred. I know this situation is strange and new to both of us but I promise you I’ll keep him as far away from the fight as I can.  
-I certainly hope so, sir.-I took the pajamas to the bathroom, and after the kid got dressed I led him to his new room. As we walked through dark halls and past closed doors I remembered the time I had led yet another orphan through the enormous mansion. It was a new situation for Master Bruce but certainly not for me. Maybe this time I would do better at raising him so he wouldn’t follow the dangerous path Master Bruce had chosen. And perhaps this boy could be a positive influence on Bruce; he might be able to bring a bit of joy, a bit of life back to this once happy house.  
-Good night Alfred. - The boy said as I tucked him in his cozy bed. He was warmer now and the pajamas fitted him better than the woolen coat. He was still in shock and hurting, but maybe one day, we would be able to turn that frown upside down. He looked like he had a nice smile.  
I kissed him on the forehead, the wet hair that fell over it smelling of shampoo. - Sleep well, Master Richard.


End file.
